Ballot-box.



- L. D. WDODRUPF.

NO MODEL.

Smvenfoz q vihwooeo k WM UNITED STATES Patented July 26, 1904.

PATENT OEEIcE.

BALLOT-BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 765,803, dated July 26, 1904.

Application filed October 1, 1903.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LORENZO D. WOODRUFF, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lincoln, in the county of Lancaster and State of Nebraska, have invented a new and useful Ballot-Box; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The invention relates to improvements in ballot-boxes, and has for its object to improve the construction of ballot-boxes and to provide a simple and comparatively inexpensive one designed for voting in secret societies and other organizations where a secret ballot is desired and adapted after a ballot has been taken and counted to enable the balls or other devices to be rearranged for another ballot without handling the said balls or other devices.

WVith these and other objects in view the invention consists in the construction and novel arrangement of parts hereinafter described and shown, and particularly pointed out in the claim hereto appended.

In the drawings forming part of this specification, and in which like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a ballot-box constructed in accordance with this invention, the hinged cover being thrown back. Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view of the same, the hinged cover being shown in operative position in full lines and swung back in dotted lines. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view, the slidable compartment-cover being shown in one position in full lines and in the other position in dotted lines.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates an oblong box, preferably constructed of wood; but the ballot-box may be made of any other suitable material and may be of any other rectangular dimensions. The box is provided at opposite sides at a point beyond the center with vertical gr0oves2, extending from the bottom to the top of the box and receiving a removable partition 3, which is slidable in the Serial No. 175,389. (No model.)

grooves and which divides the box into two compartments. The vertically-movable partition 3, which may be arranged on either side of the center, is provided with a knob to enable it to be readily raised to permit balls, cubes, or other devices to be readily transferred from one compartment to the other without handling them.

The sides and back of the box are extended above the front, and the front and back are provided at a point above the partition 3 when the latter is in its normal position with opposite horizontal grooves 5, which receive a slidable compartment-cover 6, having a central opening from which extends a bowl 7, which performs a double function as a handle or grip and a guide for directing the balls, cubes, or other devices into the compartment when a ballot is being taken. able compartment-cover is in position, (shown in full lines in Fig. 3,) it projects over the vertical partition and locks the same against the bottom of the box to prevent the ballots from accidentally sliding from one compartment into the other. After a ballot has been taken the compartment-cover may be readily removed to the opposite end of the box to enable the ballots to be examined.

The ballot-box is provided with a hinged cover 8 of the form of a hood. The cover 8 is connected with theback of the box by hinges 9, and it consists of a curved piece or top arranged at an inclination and provided with quadrant-shaped end pieces which support the curved portions. The top is opened at the front and when swung back is supported by a rearwardly-projecting handle 11, which extends beyond the cover to enable it to be conveniently grasped when the cover is swung open. By this arrangement the handle forms a combined grip and rest.

What I claim is- A ballot-box comprising an oblong body provided adjacent to its upper edges with horizontal grooves and having intermediate vertical grooves extending from the bottom to the top, a removable vertical partition slidable in the vertical ways, a slidable compart- When the slidment-cover arranged in the horizontal Ways port the same when the said cover is swung and having an opening and provided With a back, substantially as described. 10 combined boWl and grip, a hood-shaped cover In testimony whereof I have hereto aflixed hinged at the back of the box and provided my signature in the presence of tWo Witnesses.

5 With quadrant-shaped end pieces extending LORENZO D. VVOODRUFF.

from the back to the front, and a combined lrVitnesses: handle and rest arranged at the back of the ELLSWORTH FLEMING,

body and extending beyond the cover to sup- J AHES TYLER. 

